


Aflutter

by Vreliskriri



Series: Blinking stars [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alisaie and Rine are 19 and 18 respectively, Callout for Ishgardian staircases, Established Relationship, F/F, Fae hospitality with respect for the mortals' well-being, Oranges, Post-Patch 5.0: Shadowbringers, Sharing a Bed, Sidequest pixie friend makes an appearance!, il mheg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:33:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24369667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vreliskriri/pseuds/Vreliskriri
Summary: Titania decides their adorable sapling needs time away from her worries. Just a word to the court, and suddenly Rine and Feo Ul have a whole day to themselves. It's a lovely day, full of song and dance- time just flies by like there's no tomorrow.Then they hear banging at the door."PIXIES! SURRENDER MY GIRLFRIEND THIS INSTANT!"Alisaie has come to take Rine home. Once she's calmed down a little, it turns out that, in both the Source and the rest of the First, Rine has been absent for the whole weekend.To Feo Ul's credit, the fading of time inside the castle wasn't their doing, nor did they notice until it was pointed out to them. Alisaie wants to take Rine and run, but is persuaded to stay in the castle with her for the coming night. This, as Feo Ul wants to be sure Rine is unharmed and rests, but can't leave Il Mheg before punishment is dealt.All the pixies present drop what they were doing and exit, pursued by the King.Meanwhile, Rine and Alisaie are left alone in the ballroom.
Relationships: Alisaie Leveilleur/Warrior of Light, Feo Ul & Warrior of Light, Ul Thon & Warrior of Light
Series: Blinking stars [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1688869
Kudos: 7





	Aflutter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Titania decides their adorable sapling needs time away from her worries. Just a word to the court, and suddenly Rine and Feo Ul have a whole day to themselves. It's a lovely day, full of song and dance- time just flies by like there's no tomorrow. 
> 
> Then they hear banging at the door. 
> 
> "PIXIES! SURRENDER MY GIRLFRIEND THIS INSTANT!"
> 
> Alisaie has come to take Rine home. Once she's calmed down a little, it turns out that, in both the Source and the rest of the First, Rine has been absent for the whole weekend.
> 
> To Feo Ul's credit, the fading of time inside the castle wasn't their doing, nor did they notice until it was pointed out to them. Alisaie wants to take Rine and run, but is persuaded to stay in the castle with her for the coming night. This, as Feo Ul wants to be sure Rine is unharmed and rests, but can't leave Il Mheg before punishment is dealt. 
> 
> All the pixies present drop what they were doing and exit, pursued by the King. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Rine and Alisaie are left alone in the ballroom.

“Poor thing, you must be terribly tired.”  
  
Alisaie gathers Rine into her arms in a flurry of silk and lace. Rine reaches out to cup her hands around Alisaie’s face, looking up at her with a bemused expression.  
  
“Honestly, Alisaie, I’m perfectly fine! And I have my home point set in the Crystarium- if the need arises, we can leave whenever.”  
  
“Schsch, dearheart. The only need that we must meet is your want of sleep. Where is that flowery bed I was to lower you on?"  
  
“Our room? I haven't actually been there yet, but Feo Ul gave me directions while they were showing me around. Through that small door to the right, up a staircase, there should be a hallway with a red door at the end.”  
  
“Very well. Hold on tight!” Alisaie says and begins walking at a brisk pace towards the door Rine pointed out.  
  
“You can put me down whenever you feel like it. No need to carry me all the way, what with all the stairs,” Rine says.  
  
“I’m confident l’ll manage,” Alisaie starts. Then she looks back at Rine, slowing down. “Wait, no- you can walk if you want to, of course. Is it uncomfortable for you to be held like this?”  
  
Rine’s ears twitch slightly. She leans her head back with a bashful smile, draping an arm over Alisaie’s shoulder to support herself.  
  
“No, no. I am very comfortable. Just, I don’t want you to wear yourself out because of me if I can avoid it.”  
  
“I won’t do that now, I promise. Nothing of the sort will happen unless it’s something we both should want.”

  
Alisaie keeps on walking. She’s about to ask Rine to open the door ahead, but it swings open before she can, revealing a small round space at the foot of a spiral staircase. They make it about halfway before a chime of laughter travels down the stairs.  
  
“Rine Dreamcatcher! It is wonderful to be meeting again! Can you give me your friend’s name?” 

“But of course I can! It’s Ul Thon, isn’t it?” Rine responds without missing a beat. Alisaie feels something brush over her head, and suddenly there’s a pixie tugging at Rine’s sleeve.  
  
“Yes, that’s _my_ name,” they say pointedly and add: ”Not that I wanted any other. I asked just to be clever, and for no other reason. Even if you gave me her name, I would have given it back, no matter how lovely.”  
  
“You know Rine?”  
  
The pixie lightens up. “I do, and now I know who you are. Malady Alisaie! Urianger told me about you once! Are you somehow related to the mortal twins everyone was talking about before the night sky came back? I never saw them, but they’re the only other short elves whom we’ve had passing through Il Mheg in a long time.”  
  
Rine nods gravely. “You must mean Alisaie and Alphinaud of House Alisaie. Malady is their cousin.”

Alisaie smiles. “That’s right! Now, it was lovely meeting you, but alas! We must be off.”

  
She adjusts her hold of Rine and continues onward, silently thanking the people of Voeburt for having the good sense to build railings for their staircases. It takes Ul Thon a moment to catch up, and they’re far into the hallway by then.  
  
“I nearly forgot what I was doing in this part of the castle! Royal orders. From the King! ‘Make sure my guests get to their room without anyone bothering them.’ ...Oh. My apologies.”  
  
“It’s quite alright, Ul Thon. We haven’t had the chance to catch up.” Rine says. “I should have visited you sooner. But was there anything else my beautiful branch said?”  
  
“‘Right!” Ul Thon pauses to think. “Are either of you hungry? Being clever, I can easily find something that is both sweet and safe for mortals to eat. If I’m unsure, I’ll ask Seto in Wolekdorf- he knows a great deal about mortals, having cared for one so dearly.”  
  
Rine seems to be at a loss for words, so Alisaie takes over. “It might be a good idea to have a small snack before bed. For us both. Something with honey would be best.”  
  
“Honey… hm. I’ll see what I can do. But first, your room! Right around the corner. The door isn’t locked, but you’ll get a key. Everything has been made fresh, clean and comfortable, and there’s plenty of firewood so that you may stay warm til tomorrow. Our friends from Pla Enni have not yet gotten around to fixing the central heating, see. I will be back before sundown with the food. Here!”

Ul Thon presses a delicate key into Rine’s palm and a kiss onto Alisaie’s forehead. Then they fly out of the nearest open window.  
  
  
“Are you alright, Rine?”  
  
Rine nods shakily. “Can you put me down?”  
  
Alisaie does. Rine leans into the wall for support as she ties the key to one of the ribbons on her dress.  
  
“I zoned out for a moment there. Guess Feo Ul was right about keeping me here for the night. But how about you? Last I checked I’m the Warrior of Light, not the Lighter-than-air Warrior, and you’ve just carried me across a ballroom, up forty-steven stairs and quite far into this hallway. In fact I think you just might be terribly tired.” 

“I’m fine.”  
  
“Great, you know your lines! What were mine again?”  
  
“What do you mean?” Alisaie asks, momentarily confused. Distracted. Then, with one fell swoop, it’s her turn to be carried.  
  
“Hold on tight. Your flowery bed awaits!”  
  
Rine sprints the last few yalms around the corner. The door is ajar- Alisaie reaches out to push it open and they stumble inside. A shiver travels down Rine’s arms and continues along Alisaie’s spine as the realisation hits her as well.  
  
  
There’s only one bed.  
  
  
It’s a nice one. King-sized, shrouded in a canopy of coral pink lace. Eager to relieve the tension, Alisaie squirms out of Rine’s arms and goes to inspect it, sitting down on the covers.  
  
“These are incredibly soft, but the mattress underneath is firm. I like that. It is like, hm, sinking into comfort versus drowning in it.” She looks up to see Rine standing frozen where she left her.   
  
“...You okay?”  
  
Rine flops down beside Alisaie, her eyes shut. She’s breathing a bit unsteadily, and her face is flushed from the running. Alisaie places a concerned hand on Rine's chest to feel her heartbeat.  
  
“Goodness. Is your heart trying to get out?”  
  
Rine puts her own hand over Alisaie’s.  
  
“It’s- it’s still getting used to the challenge is all. Some moons back I would have been out of breath long before the rest of me could even get the chance to tire.”  
  
“Wonderful! Looks like the training is paying off. I’m proud of you,” Alisaie smiles and begins to pull her hand away. In a heartbeat, Rine is clinging to her entire arm.  
  
“Was there more?”  
  
“Sorry, I’m- I wasn’t prepared for- Saie, I had no idea they’d-”  
  
“No no no, it’s all okay.”  
  
”Is it? You aren’t overwhelmed? I mean, If I didn’t know better, and if this wasn’t the right room for the key, I’d have thought we’ve wandered into someone’s bridal suite, or…”  
  
Rine sighs.  
  
“I need you to punch me.”  
  
“...Excuse me?”  
  
“I must know I’m not dreaming this.”  
  
Alisaie turns Rine’s face to hers by the chin.  
  
“A punch? _That’s_ the way I should go about it? Honestly, Rine, I’m starting to think Thancred was right when he said we should be worried about your imagination.”

Her thumb moves along the scar on Rine’s cheek and ends up under the chin. This brings out a soft purr and the same coy smile from earlier. The _very comfortable_ smile.  
  
“How else could you convince me?” Rine asks, blinking. Alisaie blinks back and leans in close.  
  
“I know I would start with a kiss.”  
  
For the first time, Alisaie remembers to tilt her head to the side before their noses bump together. Rine… she just falls into the kiss. Warm, hungry, tasting so sweet with her heartbeat pressed against Alisaie’s chest. The feeling of that rhythm lingers when Alisaie pulls away.  
  
“Alisaie, for the love of you, don’t stop. Tell me more. Please?”  
  
“I would, but the rest has to wait. _We_ have to wait, remember?”   
  
Rine sinks into Alisaie’s lap.  
  
“...Ohh, right. Ul Thon. They should be here at any moment.”  
  
“By sundown, they said.”  
  
“I am content with dreaming until sundown, knowing you’ll be there to wake me. But please, my angel, tell me about it.”  
  
Alisaie smirks. “My, my… Just what _am_ I going to do with you?”  
  
“That’s a rhetorical question?”  
  
“I- yes, Rine, I know exactly what I’m doing.”  
  
She does not, but she’ll surely figure it out. 


End file.
